The present invention relates generally to an industrial hanger device and more particularly to a device utilized to hang an apparatus from a truss.
Support structures, such as trusses, are utilized to fabricate a wide variety of structures such as buildings and bridges, for example. At least some known trusses include at least an upper chord, in compression, a lower chord, in tension, and a plurality of vertical and/or diagonal members that are coupled between the upper and lower chords. While the trusses are generally utilized to support the building structure, they may also be utilized to support various support systems utilized within the building. For example, trusses utilized within a building may be used to support plumbing systems, electrical systems, light fixtures, sprinkling systems, and various other systems used within a typical building. More specifically, the support systems are generally hung from the trusses utilizing a truss hanger.
At least one known truss hanger is configured to extend between the two portions that form the lower truss. The known truss hanger includes a T-shaped retaining portion and a threaded rod portion that is welded to the retaining portion. During assembly, the retaining portion is inserted through the lower chord such that the retaining portion is positioned above the lower chord and the exposed end of the threaded rod portion extends through the opposite side of the lower chord. The truss hanger is secured to the lower truss using a fastener such as a nut, for example.
While the known truss hanger is cost effective and easy to install, welding the threaded rod portion to the retainer portion is relatively expensive and labor intensive. More specifically, specialized equipment is utilized to perform the welding process. Each weld is then inspected to ensure that the weld is satisfactory prior to the truss hanger being delivered to an installer. Since the threaded rod portion is welded to the retaining portion, each truss hanger is fabricated to include a predetermined length of threaded rod. However, during building construction various systems are required to be installed at varying distances below the lower chord. As such, the manufacturer may fabricate, and the builder may be required to purchase, a variety of truss hangers having various lengths of threaded rod extending from the retainer portion. Alternatively, the manufacturer may fabricate a truss hanger where all the threaded rods have a uniform length. In this case, the installer may be required to purchase additional sections of threaded rod which are then coupled to the threaded rod portion to extend the length of the truss hanger, or may be required to remove a portion of the threaded rod portion to reduce the length of the truss hanger.
A need remains for a truss hanger that reduces the overall cost and time of manufacture by, among other things, eliminating the need to weld the threaded rod portion to the retaining portion, and to also provide a truss hanger that may be used with threaded rods of varying lengths without modifying the truss hanger device.